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Champ has fun with ‘Blade, Cathy, Sol, Alice and Abby’

Defending champion Novak Djokovic received an extraordinary display of support ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as he visited Dolphin Bay at Atlantis, The Palm on Monday.

The two-time Dubai champion can now add Blade, Cathy, Sol, Alice and Abby to his fan-base after swimming with the amicable pod as part of the Atlantis Dolphin Encounter, which allows guests to wade into waist-high crystal clear waters and enter the intriguing and playful world of dolphins, swimming and showing off some of their favourite skills.

Joining Djokovic in the lagoon with the dolphins was his girlfriend, Jelena Ristic and his 19-year-old brother Marko with whom he will contest the doubles in Dubai.

“This has been an amazing experience. The dolphins are such friendly creatures and it’s fantastic to be able to get this close and swim with them,” said Djokovic, who will face Michael Llodra of France in his opening match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. He and his brother will face the experienced pair of Mahesh Bupathi and Leander Paes of India in their first round doubles encounter.

“I love playing here in Dubai and I am really looking forward to defending my title here again,” added the sensational Serbian.

“It’s a great pleasure to have Novak back in Dubai – he has shown us in the last two years just what he is capable of and has displayed impressive form in winning the Australian Open last month,” said Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “We’re looking forward to seeing him in action again here at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.”